STORM UPDATE 06/27/2012 3:00 PM (STATE ROAD CLOSURES)

Lake City  – The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is providing an update on road and bridge closures in Northeast Florida due to Tropical Storm Debby.  Baker and Columbia County I-10 east of I-75 (Exit 296) to US 90 (Exit 324) is closed to all eastbound traffic.  Westbound traffic is allowed between US 441 (Exit…

STORM UPDATE 06/27/2012 1000 AM

Road closures and  damage assessments are a major issue today. Five damage assessment teams are working throughout the county to identify,  document and provide damage estimates. This information will be invaluable if we get a Federal Disaster Declaration. An early assessment on Tuesday had already identified and documented 100 structures with damage and that list…

STORM UPDATE 06/26/2012 9:30 PM

Debby has been downgraded to a Tropical Depression at 8:00 p.m. The storm came ashore at approximately 5:00 p.m. this afternoon near the Gulf Coast community of Steinhatchee. The storm appears to be moving northeast at this time with a path that would bring Debby across the southern portion of Columbia County as it heads…

Residents Rescue Girl

Residents worked expeditiously in rescuing a girl swept away by flood waters. Columbia County Sheriff’s Office deputies and FWC officers responded to the call off Falling Creek Rd. The girl was swept out of her yard off NW Falling Creek Rd and was able to hang onto a tree till rescuers arrived. We are grateful…

STORM UPDATE 06/26/2012 5:30 PM

Tropical Storm Debby is expected to make landfall southwest of our area near Cedar Key either this evening or on Wednesday. Debby will continue to have an impact on our weather through Thursday when the Tropical Storm moves into the Atlantic Ocean. The Columbia County Emergency Management Department is still at a Level II activation…